Reserve Officer Discharges Firearm During Traffic Stop

On Sunday, February 6, 2005, at 10:18 p.m., Portland Police Bureau Reserve Sergeant Michael Hayward and Reserve Officer Jeffrey Ciri attempted to stop a vehicle driven by 36-year-old Lee Harrison Hardman. Hardman pulled to the curb as the officers activated their overhead lights and then sped off as the officers approached the car. A citizen who was passing by the traffic stop saw Hardman pull away from the officers. The citizen pulled in front of Hardman and stopped his car near the intersection of Southeast 146th Avenue and Southeast Main Street, forcing Hardman to stop and allowing the reserve officers to pull up behind him.

The reserve officers approached Hardman’s car with their weapons drawn. Reserve Sergeant Hayward opened the passenger door and almost immediately saw Hardman make a movement leading him to believe that Hardman was attempting to obtain a weapon. Reserve Sergeant Hayward discharged his firearm one time. The bullet missed Hardman and struck the side of a home in the 1100 block of Southeast 146th Avenue, coming to rest in a closet.

Hardman was arrested for one count of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and one count of Attempting to Elude a Police Officer.

Per Bureau policy, Homicide Detectives were called to the scene and initiated an investigation. The completed investigation will be forwarded to the Multnomah County District Attorney and the incident will be examined internally through the Command Review Process. Command Review will examine if the reserve officer’s actions were consistent with Police Bureau tactics and training and determine if the shooting was within policy.

Per Bureau policy, Reserve Sergeant Hayward has been placed on Administrative Leave.